DAN CEARNS, The Standard
SCUGOG/BROCK: The Townships of Scugog and Brock are adding their voices to a request for a new alert system, following the tragic death of 11-year-old autistic boy Draven Graham in Lindsay.
At a meeting on Monday, June 20th, Scugog councillors passed a motion to have the Township “request the Province of Ontario to develop and implement a community warning program, similar to Amber Alert, for those persons of special needs or circumstance who leave [their] caregivers or locations and potentially put themselves at risk.” The motion also called for the resolution to be circulated to the Premier of Ontario, leaders of the provincial opposition parties, Durham’s MPs and MPPs, the Region of Durham and all Durham municipalities.
The motion was raised by Ward 5 Councillor Lance Brown. There was no discussion on the motion, and it passed unanimously. Mayor Bobbie Drew said the unanimous result was “no surprise.”
The Township of Brock passed the same motion, at a meeting on Monday, June 27th.
“I think this type of alert system is something [which] is obviously needed,” Regional Councillor Ted Smith said. “This is a start, and we’ll go from there.”
The Amber Alert is currently only used for children who are abducted.
Draven Graham was found deceased in the Scugog River in Lindsay, on Monday, June 13th, after being reported missing on Sunday, June 12th.